Catch 22
by Prosopopeia
Summary: KibaToboe, post series; It is present day Tokyo and Kiba begins the search for the truth behind the lunar flower. Will his and the others’ fates wind up like the ones of their past selves, or will Rakuen finally be within their grasp? Part III.
1. Quatro

_Third_ attempt at this fandom—hopefully, this one will actually survive unlike its predecessors. Kiba/Toboe—don't like, don't read! They will be the main pairing. In addition, the ending of the series left a lot of room for interpretation and manipulation. Hope you don't mind! XD

_Disclaimer: Me don't own Wolf's Rain, k?_

* * *

**Catch-22**

**I**

* * *

The city was grimy. The filth and putrid fumes had poisoned the air. Kiba wondered to himself why he was there. He glanced around the alleyway and caught sight of it again. The lone pale flower that stood amidst such dreary landscape. It had caught his attention no more than a few days ago while taking a detour around his usual way home. Kiba had been enraptured by it—such frailty and beauty to be found in such a loathsome place was rare. He stared at it now and thought to himself. There was a certain familiarity surrounding this strange flower. He had seen its kind before—many times in fact. They were littered all over Tokyo—and even more bountiful in Hokkaido. But Kiba had never seen one here, in this lonely back alley of a desolate factory long abandoned.

Suddenly his watched beeped. Kiba looked down at his wrist and clicked his tongue in dismay. It was past seven. He had an appointment and he was ten minutes late. Sparing the flower one last glance, he turned around and sped down the streets back to his small apartment.

The city was alive at this time. And now that Kiba was venturing further away from the old factory, the air became cleaner. He recognized these scents. This was home. This was where he was born and raised. Kiba ran until his heart was racing—that sluggish exhaustion seeping into his legs as he pushed himself. It seemed he was always running.

When he reached his apartment, he paused at the doorway. He could hear sounds inside. Someone was fumbling his or her way through his kitchen. Kiba smiled slightly to himself as he turned the knob and entered his apartment quietly. He placed his shoes on the side and slipped into his more comfortable slippers before stealthily making his way to the kitchen. There he found his culprit, who was currently cursing to herself as she raided his refrigerator.

"I see you've made yourself at home."

The woman jumped and whipped around to face Kiba angrily. "Kiba! Must you always do that? Do you _not_ make any sound as you move on purpose? Because it's not normal!" she exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips.

Kiba sat down at the small table. "What are you doing here—_nee-chan_?"

The woman, bearing the same untamed hair as her younger brother, pouted. "You treat me with no respect nowadays, Kiba. I come here all the way from South Korea and you have the nerve to be _late_!" she complained as she shut the refrigerator door after pulling out several eggs. She went over to the stove and began heating up the wok. "I'm starved. I didn't eat anything on the flight."

"Sora… I have a question."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"In South Korea…are there any of those white flowers we have here in Japan?"

Sora looked towards her brother's direction for a moment before shrugging. "Naturally. You know those lunar flowers bloom everywhere. They're like weeds—only a lot prettier," she replied.

Kiba lowered his gaze to the floor. "Right," he murmured.

The sound of crackling was heard as Sora dropped three eggs into the wok, stirring them around with a spatula until they were one, big yellow mass. She added some ham and cheese and continued mixing them for a few minutes before lowering the heat. After wiping her hands with a towel, Sora sat down before her brother and poked him gently with a finger.

"What's up, huh? I thought you didn't like flowers."

Kiba blinked at her in surprise. "I…don't hate them," he said slowly.

"How's school anyway? Final year at the university, right?"

"Yeah."

"What made you go into botanicals anyway? You were studying medicine for two years and we all thought you would stick to that one."

Kiba shrugged. "I don't know. I just decided to change. Besides…I never really wanted to become a doctor anyway," he answered quietly.

Sora gazed at him warmly. "Well, whatever you decide, you know we're all here for you."

A small smile made its way onto the dark-haired man's face as he nodded. "I know."

* * *

There was not much for him to do here. All the teachers knew of his reputation and just allowed him to wreak whatever chaos he wanted. There was no authority to challenge anymore—they had relinquished their power to him long ago.

Hige sighed wearily as he sat in back of the classroom, balancing a pencil on his nose. He had graduated from high school already—but that did not stop him from coming back. He had his many names to go under to register to as many schools as he wanted. Presently, he was enrolled in Tokyo University. But he had no class today and so decided to undertake one his many aliases and head back for a day at high school. To the teachers and students he was Waka Toshi—teenage delinquent extraordinaire. It also seemed he had something of fan club in this school. Hige smirked at that.

He had been attending this school on and off for the past year—generally he came at least once a month—but he had so many other names to go under that he simply he could not go to _high school_ every off day he had. There were other activities that called his attention—the go classes at the recreation center, the amateur tennis club, the famed arcade tournaments, and other miscellaneous things. For each one he went under a different name. Only at Tokyo University and at home did anyone know his real name. And only those that he personally befriended.

Which were few.

Hige was a known deserter. Once he got tired of these activities he would no doubt switch to other ones. One time he had left the swimming club when they had a major competition scheduled the next day. He simply decided the night before to not show up and signed up for the tennis club instead. Of course him not showing up automatically disqualified the swimming club from even competing since he was a part of the team and no replacements were allowed. They had been furious. But since he barely spoke to any of them—and had lied about his personal information—they could not track him down as they had wished and deliver him his punishment.

Hige was also a natural escapee.

And escaping was a very nice word for describing what he wanted right now as he stared out the window. The sky was clear and a perfect blue. Late summer was finishing its cycle and the weather was readying itself for autumn. Hige smiled. He loved autumn. The air was cool and the scenery was breathtaking. It also meant winter break would be coming up soon—and that meant he would be able to spend even more time than usual haunting his normal domains. And that also meant more terrorizing for those who came to know him.

Hige enjoyed his life.

He had no emotional attachment to anyone save his family. His mother was the only one he had left—besides his crazed brothers. They were something else altogether, though. Sometimes Hige wondered whether you could love and hate people so much at the same time. He was the youngest of four. And his older brothers always made sure he knew that for a fact. Hige really did resent them for that.

Suddenly the rest of the class stood up. Hige watched in a slight daze as they filed out the door, heading to the cafeteria. He stretched his back languidly before following.

"Waka-kun."

Hige stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Yes, Yamada-sensei?" he replied, somewhat surprised at bring addressed. The teachers always left him alone.

"Why do you come here if you do not even bother to learn?"

For a few seconds, Hige stared at his teacher. Yamada-sensei was old—in his late sixties at least—and his eyes showed care and compassion. He was a true teacher that always gave his students as many chances as they deserved and was always willing to explain an idea or concept over again. Hige liked him.

"Well…it's not really hurting you guys. I'm not bothering you."

"But you are also not _learning_. That is why we're all here. Watching you sit in the back of the room all day with a pencil in your mouth does me great _disrespect_. Do you not care about your future, Waka-kun?"

Hige was amused. In all his time pulling off these charades, no teacher had ever went up to him out of concern for his _future. _He was one of the elite at Tokyo University. He would be graduating by next term with a degree in psychology. His future was already set. The only reason he did this was to fill in his leisure time—and to study people. After all, he would be a psychiatrist one day and he needed all the practice he could get. And many of these high school children and club members were worthy study cases.

As he looked into the face of Yamada-sensei, Hige smiled and made up his mind.

"All right, I won't be bothering you anymore."

There were plenty of high schools in Tokyo.

* * *

There were certain advantages to running a bike gang. One, he was in charge of a whole group of crazy motorcycle freaks who revered him like a god. Two, he could get around vandalizing the streets of Japan with a quick escape always on hand. Three, he was defying the city officials. That in itself was the only reason Tsume needed.

Zooming down the road at ninety an hour was his way of relaxing. There was nothing that could compare to the freedom and relief he got off from driving. The risk and excitement _humbled_ him. And because the streets were empty tonight, he felt no worry of being troubled by outsiders. Even his own gang could become irksome after a while. They were weak—many of them. Most came from harsh backgrounds—domestic violence, drugs and murders, hate for themselves, hate for the rest of society—they were his kind of people since Tsume himself did not harbor any affection at all for the world around him. He was an orphan. Abandoned like a dog by his parents when he was a mere boy. He had been forced to grow up quickly.

And he never looked back once.

Tsume took one look at the sky. It was an inky blue with little stars glittering brightly. The moon was in its crescent phase. He stared at it for a while longer. How curiously shaped the moon could be. If he looked at it from the side it would appear as if someone was grinning at him—and those stars would make up its eyes. All at once Tsume felt as if he was being mocked. He revved up the engine and sped up. Ninety would not do for tonight.

He streaked through the countryside like a maniac. Tsume screamed to no one. There was no one to be found. In an empty region like this, solitude was assured automatically. Even the roads were dusty and in dire need of being remodeled. Various dirt and pileup would sometimes act as obstacles while Tsume drove. It did sharpen his reflexes, however. But tonight he had drank two bottles of beer—and his reflexes were nowhere in sight as a shadowed object obscured his path.

It was a testament to his skills when he managed to guide the bike to the side, half-drunk as he was, until it hit the grassy edge. Tsume toppled over the seat and onto the ground, panting slightly from his narrow escape. He could have easily careened down the road and flew bodily into the air. Fortunately, it seemed it was not his time to die yet. Good, too. Because Tsume was not ready to die. He still had too much to get back from society.

Tossing his helmet aside, Tsume sucked in a deep breath of fresh air and started laughing, humorless and bitter, as he raised his fist to the sky. Tsume. It was not even his real name. He had never known his real name. Before his parents had abandoned him, they called him nothing more but "brat" or—if they were feeling more eloquent—"shitty little fucker." The name "Tsume" had been given to him by the instructor at the dojo. The old man never taught Tsume anything, but he had learned simply by watching and practicing at home when his parents were not too busy trying to break his bones.

He sometimes wondered whether they were alive or not.

If they were—he would kill them if they ever showed their faces before him again.

Tsume needed no one. He wanted no one. Because no one was not someone and therefore he could not be hurt. He tilted his head back and lied down against the grass. He never even knew why they hated him. But that did not matter. All he had now was his gang and bike. It became a tedious affair after a while, but it always provided him with satisfaction. Breaking into stores and trashing public parks while running from the cops—it was his way of living. Living on the edge, always tiptoeing back and forth between life and death.

Tsume had no regrets.

"Shit."

He had bruised his ribs again from that fall. They had only just recovered from his bungee-jumping incident a month ago. It seemed he would have to postpone the gang's hijacking agenda for tomorrow until next week. Tsume stood up slowly and got back on his bike after righting it. His nighttime meditation was done for today.

* * *

People often said he was naïve and too kind for his own good. Even as a young adult now, he still received the same comments. It was not something he could control. He genuinely believed in the human heart. But humans could be too complicated for him sometimes. That was why he preferred animals—which was why he was currently working as an intern at the animal clinic located down the corner of his block.

Toboe loved animals.

It did not matter whether the pet be a dog, a cat, or a snake—he loved them all. He was attuned to their senses very well, and many people—even the doctors—had taken notice of that. The animals loved him in return. They never tried to hurt him. Even the wildest of pets would grow tamed and endearing under his kind smile. It was a natural gift. However, this uncanny ability would sometimes go too far for people—especially when they spotted Toboe talking to the animals as if he were really holding a conversation with them.

For this reason he was considered as something of a hermit. People took pity on him because they believed he spoke to the animals for the reason that he had no human friends. They were quite inaccurate on that assumption. Toboe had human companions, though they were few. He was a kind and sweet man, if not somewhat misunderstood. He never let it bother him, though. Toboe had once been an insecure boy—trying to please his family, his elders, and society as a whole. He eventually gained his own silent confidence as he matured. Some would call him loony. Those close to him knew better.

Toboe looked up from where he was treating Skittles, the young male canine that had injured his paw, and spotted the late afternoon sunlight leaking in through the shaded windows. He sighed to himself and wiped away a stray lock of hair from his face. Though he had kept his hair longer as a child, he had decidedly chopped it all off once he graduated from high school. The bangs still kept getting in his eyes, though. His hair grew far too fast. Toboe smiled at the Labrador before him.

"Nice day, right, Skittles?"

The dog gave an affirmative bark and licked his hand affectionately. Toboe chuckled and stroked Skittles' smooth back. "Nothing ever puts you down, huh? Next time, try to be a little more careful and not get too excited at seeing the deliveryman. You always have to pay attention to your surroundings—_even_ if there is food," he directed as he tucked in the last piece of gauze.

Skittles barked again and licked Toboe's face this time before the latter had to push him away, laughing. "All right, all right! You don't need to slobber me to death," he said with a grin before guiding the dog back to the waiting room where his owner leapt up excitedly to greet him.

Toboe wished people could be as simple as animals. But he had long forsaken that foolish idea. People were infinitely more difficult and _emotional_ than other animals. Perhaps that was why he felt so connected with animals; Toboe himself was a ridiculously simple man as well. People called him childlike because of this despite him having graduated from school long before any other of his fellow peers had. People also wondered why Toboe had chosen such an occupation when he could have easily become a neurologist or any other type of special doctor. Toboe simply ignored them all.

Again he looked at the window. There was nothing to see, however, but the sunlight filtering through the metal shades. He grew slightly frustrated for a second. For some strange reason, he wanted to see _outside_. He wanted to see the people walking past the clinic and see—_life_. He cleaned his hands at the sink before heading out into the waiting area for a bit, staring at the front door like it was his haven.

"Toboe?"

"Hmm?"

He turned around slightly to see the doctor smiling at him as she greeted the next client. "You can take a break if you want. You've been cooped up in here all day," she said.

Toboe smiled and nodded. "Sure. Thanks!"

As soon as he stepped out, he breathed in the fresh autumn air and sighed blissfully. He then glanced at his side and blinked in surprise. Stooping before the mini garden standing in front of the clinic was a young man roughly a few years older than him with wild dark hair staring at the lunar flowers. Toboe blinked once again before speaking.

"You like them?"

At once the man started and looked at him in surprise. Before he could say anything, however, a motorcycle came crashing through the street on the verge of colliding with another car that was attempting to park alongside the block. Toboe watched in alarm as the bike's breaks screeched through the concrete ground to no avail. The bike and car were going to crash. The rider jumped off at the last minute and at nearly the same time the driver of the car came rushing out. With a sudden tumultuous union, the two exploded into flames and pedestrians all screamed. The accident had occurred right in front of the clinic. Toboe stood his ground in a slight daze before noticing the driver and rider trudging up the street in shambles. Without a single thought he rushed towards them.

"Are you two all right?"

The rider of the bike, a typical gangster looking man with silver hair and many piercings glared darkly at him. "What the fuck do _you_ think?" he snarled out.

The other man, a bright-faced fellow with a cheerful grin waved his hand offhandedly. "Ah, whatever. Good riddance, actually. I've been looking for a good reason to get a new ride," he replied.

Toboe smiled at this comment before shooting the silver-haired man a look. "What were you thinking—driving down the street like that? You could have killed someone—or yourself!" he scolded, though his tone was not harsh.

The man gritted his teeth. "Listen, _junior_. I don't need a lecture from a kid like you."

"The name's Toboe, and I think you _do_ need the lecture."

Just then the other man jumped in. "Toboe, is it? Well, I'm Hige, and let me offer you this piece of advice. I don't think this guy's worth it. He's obviously…well…a _bad guy_," he quipped, gesturing to the biker.

"You little…"

"What's your name, anyway, stranger? We crashed our rides together. I think we should be introduced at least."

"Tsume," he spat out.

Hige nodded slowly. "Well, Tsume, no harm done, right? I won't press any charges."

The silver-haired man clenched his fists. "_You_ won't press any charges? And what about me? Who told you to take up so much of the goddamned street when you're parking, huh?" he demanded fiercely.

"Are you serious? You're blaming that accident on me? Is there any logic behind that?"

"I don't give a fuck about _your_ logic."

Toboe stared at the two as they argued—or rather—as Tsume yelled and Hige take it all in stride. He sighed and looked at the wreck before him. Other people had already called for a fire truck and the firefighters were currently attempting to douse the ravenous flames.

"This reminds me of something," came a quiet voice.

Toboe turned around and noticed the man from before was still there, though his attention was now fixed on Hige and Tsume. "Do you know these two?" he inquired.

The dark-haired man turned his gaze on him. "You're Toboe?" he asked, and when the latter nodded he continued. "My name is Kiba."

"Kiba…"

Toboe stared at the man for a while longer. The sudden image of a white wolf appeared in his mind for an instant—and he wondered where that had come from.

* * *

TBC

Yes, very strange. I gave them all families—well, except Tsume. But he's a loner. XD This story _does_ have a plot. It may not be obvious now, but it will appear eventually. Yay, it's my first Wolf's Rain fic posted here! Please tell me what you think. I may consider other pairings but Toboe and Kiba are a surety. We need more fics with them together!


	2. Alpha

**

* * *

**

**Catch-22**

**II**

* * *

Toboe looked around the table. It seemed strange to have so many guests over at his apartment. He generally never had visitors, save some friends and family occasionally—but they always called beforehand. These guests, however, were not the normal kind. When he had offered Hige and Tsume some food and checkups for injuries, he never expected them to take the idea so far. Instead of seeking refuge at the clinic, both insisted on heading over to his place instead. "We'd be bothering your customers," had been Hige's reasoning. All in all, Toboe could not object. It was true. Having Tsume and Hige just sitting there with their smoking clothes and ashy scents would garner too much unwanted attention. 

So Toboe agreed. And had invited Kiba as well. After all, it would be rude to simply leave him standing. And Toboe really did not mind. He had more than enough space in his apartment.

"Whoa!"

As soon as he had unlocked the door, however, a large Alaskan husky leapt out to greet his master. Hige had to dodge the large canine as he jumped up to lap his master's face eagerly.

"Jesus. Nearly had a heart attack there," commented Hige with a grin before gasping again as a German Shepard came out of the doorway next. He stared at the two large dogs as they treaded around their master's knees excitedly. "I hope these aren't some of your _customers_."

Toboe laughed and guided them inside. "No, of course not."

"Fucking dogs," muttered Tsume darkly.

After an enthusiastic introduction to his dogs, Opal and Ebony respectively, Toboe led them to his living room where they could all take a rest. Persuading Tsume to take off his boots was something else altogether. Toboe never imagined a person who could be so stubbornly annoying in his entire life. But the promise of food managed to sway the older man and he finally acquiesced to Toboe's request.

Toboe had been concerned over what to cook for his guests, but it seemed the others had taken to his food greatly. He watched in satisfaction as the other three men wolfed down their meals like they had never eaten before. Toboe loved assisting people when they needed it.

"Man, this is great! You're an awesome cook, Toboe!" sighed Hige as he rested back in his chair, completely satiated. He smacked his lips. "Haven't had a homemade meal like this in a while. My mother's an awful cook. I only eat her stuff because there's nothing else around. You get used to it after a while, but food like this is just amazing."

The golden-eyed man smiled. "I'm glad you like it," he said brightly.

Tsume and Kiba remained silent as they pored over their meals. For Tsume he felt strangely misplaced. Looking around him he saw three normal people—or as normal as they could get in his mind. He was accustomed to seeing his band of followers and fellow wrongdoers. These people confused him and he had no idea why he was even here. It was just something that told him to stay. So Tsume did. His instinct had never lied to him before—no matter how baffling whatever bidding it made him do was. Tsume thought back to his bike. It seemed he would need a new one. Too bad. He was rather fond of that one.

"So what were you going before we…er…crashed into your life?"

Toboe laughed. "I was heading out for lunch. I'm interning at the clinic."

Hige arched an eyebrow. "Intern, huh? I thought you were a doctor," he remarked.

"Well, hopefully soon."

The two laughed. Tsume snarled angrily at their behavior. How two strangers could just befriend each other so quickly and easily was ludicrous. They knew nothing of each other and yet they acted as if they had been friends all their lives. Tsume scowled deeply. It was an incomprehensible gesture.

"So you're a student at Tokyo University? That must be hard."

"Not really. It's not all what it's cracked up to be. Frankly, I'm glad I'll be graduating next term. I can't wait to get out of there."

"What are you majoring in?"

"Psychology."

"So you're the expert on people, huh?"

"That's safe to say."

Tsume scoffed mentally at this. Hige turned in his direction and grinned. "For instance," he began as he waved in the silver-haired man's direction. "This guy, Tsume, is your typical male, dominant type. He's got that aggressive mind and that follows through in his behavior. Most likely, he went through some tough situations during life and thus, has very little trust in the people around him. He's pessimistic, cynical, and downright _cold_ to those he just meets. But, underneath all that hard exterior, there is something of a sensitive side to him. He's just looking for someone or something to share it with."

Hige paused and winked at Tsume. "Am I right?"

The other man glared at him. "Don't presume so much, idiot. People aren't as simple as that," he growled.

Hige continued to smile. "Ah, but they are to me, my good friend."

Toboe looked back and forth between the two and sighed. It seemed these two were natural opposites. And the old cliché on how opposites attract obviously did not apply to them. Toboe stood up and began gathering the plates whilst Tsume and Hige began a new debate before Kiba's hand stopped him.

The younger man looked at Kiba curiously. So far he had not spoken a word over dinner. It unnerved Toboe a little—to see such a sullen man before him—but somehow he did not expect much else from Kiba.

"Let me. You served us dinner. We should do something in return," Kiba said quietly.

Toboe blinked. "No, you don't have to, honestly. I don't mind—"

But then Hige suddenly grabbed the plates from his hand. "No, no, Kiba here is right! We must honor our host for his generosity," he added as he headed towards the sink. "I'll do the washing. Kiba, you can clean up the rest of the table, and Tsume—help me dry."

The lattermost individual scowled at having been ordered. Hige smiled back innocently.

The scene of three strangers tidying up his kitchen and dining room then entered Toboe's visage. He stood back and watched in a slight daze. Aikawa-sensei had been kind in granting him permission to leave early to handle his guests. In fact, Toboe thought with some amusement, she seemed rather relieved as well. She, like most other people at the clinic, believed him to be antisocial and somewhat a hermit. But unlike the others, she understood his personality and knew that this was just the way he was. But apparently, that still did not stop her from believing he needed to socialize with people more often—even if said people included a man with a slight obsession of studying people, a hoodlum biker with no manners, and an introvert that was even more antisocial than Toboe himself.

Toboe smiled happily. It seemed he had made some new friends.

Opal came trotting up to him just then. Toboe glanced down and petted the husky's fine coat. "So…what do you think of our new friends?" he asked. The dog barked once and Toboe grinned. "Really? I'm glad."

"Hey, Toboe! Where do we up these plates?"

"Up in the drawers on your right."

"What draw—oh, I see! Hey, Tsume, think you can dry those out any slower? I'm just dying from the pace you're going."

The silver-haired man pushed a plate in his hand hazardously. Hige yelped as he caught the plate before it fell.

"They really are something. I wonder, though…"

Toboe frowned slightly as he massaged his head. Opal whined lightly by his side, brushing his nuzzle softly against Toboe's leg. The young man smiled faintly and walked over to the couch to sit down. It seemed he had been more stressed by this situation than he thought. Opal joined him by his side and Ebony came up to rest his head on Toboe's lap. The two were always so supportive. They were truly his best friends. Toboe never had to speak a word and they knew what he was thinking and what to do to make him feel better. His family—especially his mother—used to always worry over him because he never spoke to other children. He always found companions in animals. Opal and Ebony had been brought to him one night two years ago. Someone had left them at his doorstep in a cardboard box, alone and freezing cold. They had been mere puppies then.

It seemed ridiculous to think this, but Toboe always felt that they had been given to him on purpose. At that point in his life, he had been unsure of himself—caught between leading a life of his mother's deciding or one of his own. Then Opal and Ebony had shown up. And Toboe knew what was his path then. He had learned to build his own confidence and to stop seeking the approval of others. He lived for himself and the ones he loved—no one else could tell him otherwise.

"Hey, Toboe, thanks for the meal, man. I have to head back now, but let's do this again! It'll be my treat next time," Hige suddenly interjected, breaking into Toboe's reverie.

He looked up and spotted Hige and the others taking up their coats and shoes. He smiled and nodded. "Sure. How do I reach you?"

"Left my number on your fridge. Tsume here says he never wants to see any of us every again, but I know for a fact he's just lying, the old lug."

At this point Hige had to dodge the other man's punch aimed at his face. He laughed and patted his back.

"No need to be so feisty, man. Kiba, you also left your number for Toboe, right?"

The dark-haired man nodded and Hige grinned.

"Well, this was a very strange day, but somehow we all got out of it all right. We really proved the words 'turning adversity into prosperity' today. Let's meet up again soon!"

Toboe smiled and stood up to lead them out. "Hige, nothing seems to bring you down," he remarked lightheartedly.

The older man winked. "Of course! There's no point to living if you can't be happy!"

And with that he went out the door, followed by Tsume—who gave a disgruntled thanks for the food—and Kiba. The man gave a slow nod as means of farewell and Toboe studied him carefully.

"You know…I feel like I've seen you before," he quipped suddenly as Hige and Tsume disappeared through the stairs.

Kiba froze and turned around halfway. Toboe leaned against his doorway, arms crossed as he regarded the dark-haired man closely.

"I don't think we've ever met," replied Kiba calmly. "Though…I know what you mean."

Toboe blinked several times before grinning. "Perhaps we knew each other in our past lives," he said brightly.

Kiba suddenly looked at him sharply. "Past lives?" he repeated before pausing. "Maybe…"

"In any case, I hope I'll see you and the others soon. I don't usually talk to people so openly but for some reason…I feel comfortable around you three. And it's good to have friends, right?"

For a while, Kiba simply stared at Toboe. Finally, he smiled slightly. "I suppose so."

He gave a faint wave before disappearing down the stairs. Toboe stood by his door for a few more seconds, staring at the window overlooking the city outside. He always loved this apartment building. It had twenty-five floors and he lived on the uppermost twenty-third floor. The elevator had broken down at the twentieth floor, however, so the others had to walk down three flights before they could reach it. They had been somewhat put out when they discovered he lived on the twenty-third floor. Hige had said something about fire hazards and other disastrous events like that, but Toboe paid him no mind. The view was worth it. From his own balcony he could oversee the entire city of Tokyo and beyond. It was beautiful.

Toboe walked back into his apartment and sat down on the couch again. Opal and Ebony were peering over at him curiously. He smiled.

"I feel like I'm living a dream—but I'm happy nonetheless."

* * *

Tsume looked around the empty warehouse. He could hardly believe it. He had been gone for only one day—one day—and in one day everyone had disappeared. He kicked at a stone by his foot and watched it hit the wall with a loud thud. The warehouse was in an abandoned region. Nobody came around here because it was completely desecrated. Ten years ago there had been a horrible fire that rampaged over everything, leaving everything in its wake a pile of rubble and ash. This warehouse was barely standing, but it served its purpose as being the headquarter for Tsume and his gang. 

Now the only thing missing was his gang.

The silver-haired man walked around, snickering to himself. It was ironic that the cops would get them when they were simply hanging around the area—not while performing one of their high-styled acts of anarchism. And Tsume had not been there with them. He felt bitter. These guys—despite most being assholes and utterly heartless—were his comrades. They were a team and he was their leader. He treated most of them like shit only because that was the way he ran things. He never wanted any of this to happen.

"Fuck it all," he cursed darkly.

Tsume stormed out of the warehouse in a rush before crashing into something on the ground. He grunted as he caught himself neatly before whipping around to see what he had bumped into.

It was a person. More specifically, it was Kiba kneeling down on the ground, scratching away at the dirt with a small shovel. The two of them stared at each other.

"What are you doing here?"

Kiba stood up slowly, slipping some of the dirt into a plastic bag before placing it in his bag. "I was gathering samples for my class," he replied quietly.

"What class is this?"

"Environmental studies."

"Sounds boring."

"I like it."

Tsume smirked. "I bet you would," he said derisively. He made a move to walk away before he spotted something else in the distance. Cars—police cars. "Shit."

Kiba approached him calmly. "I believe they're here to arrest some gang. They've been trying to track them down for months and finally caught a majority of them here yesterday. It was all over the news."

"That so…," murmured Tsume darkly as he saw two policemen heading towards them. "Gotta go."

But Kiba's arm stopped him. "That would make you seem suspicious," he advised quietly.

"So what do you—"

"Excuse me, gentlemen. May I ask what you are doing here?"

Tsume looked at the policeman standing before them insultingly. He was about to snarl back a reply when Kiba's even-toned voice filled the air.

"My friend and I are here for earth samples," he said, showing the package of dirt. "It's for our class. Environmental studies—how natural disasters affect the soil."

The two officers studied him carefully before looking at Tsume. One of them eyed him over, arching an eyebrow at the clothes he was adorned in. "I see. Well, you better hurry up them. We're doing an investigation here."

Kiba nodded. "We were just finishing up," he said evenly before looking at Tsume. "Right?"

The man nodded slowly. "Yeah. Let's go."

The two left the scene without a word. They continued walking in silence until they reached the more populated areas of the city. When they stopped at a changing crossroad, Tsume finally spoke.

"I didn't need your help."

"I know."

"I didn't _want_ it."

Kiba hid a slight smile. "I know."

The sign changed and they crossed the road. Kiba lifted his head toward the sky. It looked

like rain.

"What are you going to do now?" he asked softly.

Tsume's gaze remained dark. "What do you mean?"

"That gang they were after… It was yours. Are you going to warn the others?"

"They probably know by now to stay out of that area."

"And the others that were taken?"

"Life is shitty."

Kiba glanced at him. "Where will you go?"

Tsume made no reply.

"I think Toboe would let you stay with him."

Suddenly Kiba found himself held up by the scruff of the neck. Several of the people around them gasped and moved away quickly from them. The rest of the crowd passed them by as Tsume stared Kiba down dangerously. A wild glint showed in his eyes and Kiba regarded him warily, yet with no fear.

"I told you I don't need your help nor do I want it."

Kiba looked back at him coolly. "You of all people should know the importance of survival. It'll be getting cold soon. You can't stay out on the streets and expect to be all right," he said.

"I've lived on these streets my whole life. It's you who wouldn't be able to survive," spat Tsume in reply, dropping Kiba before stalking off.

"But that was because you had other people to rely on. You're completely alone now. It'll be much harder than before."

Tsume leered at Kiba. "I don't need anyone."

And then Kiba was left alone in a swarming crowd. He stared at Tsume's retreating form until it blended in entirely with everyone else. The sky was completely gray now. He looked up as he felt a drop on his face. Soon, the air was filled with the light drizzle of water and the sounds of people rushing for shelter. Kiba stood in the middle of the block, head facing the sky, an expression of tranquility on his face.

"Hey, kid, you're going to get sick standing there."

Kiba turned around to see an older man watching him with an amused smile. He walked up to him and handed Kiba a spare umbrella. "It might as well be put into good use," he said before walking off.

The man disappeared behind the corner and Kiba and looked at the umbrella in his hand. He opened it and found it to have bright, tropical flowers and birds as a design. He studied it wonderingly for a moment.

"Bad taste," he murmured to himself.

The sky crackled and everything flashed around him. Kiba started walking slowly along the streets. He passed by a small building and noticed something in the windowsill. It was a potted plant—but that was not what intrigued him. It was the flower lying beside it that caught his eye—a lunar flower. Kiba stopped. It was becoming an obsession for him now. He thought to himself why he was so interested in this flower. It was a normal weed—all too common and all too hard to get rid of. They were beautiful, but they were seen all over, thus losing its value and specialty. Kiba frowned. And yet he felt there was something else to this picture he was not seeing.

"You know…we have got to stop meeting like this."

Kiba looked up and saw Toboe smiling at him from underneath a bright red umbrella. His face appeared remarkably pale in stark contrast to the dreary surroundings. Kiba faced him fully. "Out for a walk?" he asked.

Toboe shrugged. "Day off. I was feeling restless."

Kiba nodded and looked at the flower again. "I see," he murmured.

"You?"

"Gathering some samples for my class," answered Kiba automatically before slowly adding, "I met up with Tsume as well."

Toboe arched an eyebrow. "How is he?"

"He's in trouble, but he doesn't want any help."

"Well…that's no surprise," replied Toboe with a light laugh.

Kiba stared at Toboe. "If it's you—I think he might accept it," he said.

Toboe shot him a puzzled look. "Why would you say that? I barely even know him—and he didn't say much to me at all last night. He and Hige sure do make a great pair, though," he retorted with a smile.

"Just a feeling," Kiba stated.

The younger man stared at him bemusedly before shrugging. "Well, he's always welcome in my home. But I don't think he'll be coming by any time soon," he said before following Kiba's eyes as they flew back to the lunar flower resting by the windowsill. "You really like those, huh?"

Kiba started. "I… I'm interested by them," he replied slowly.

Toboe moved towards his side. "Hmm…yeah, I never noticed it before but they are really pretty," he commented.

"I was thinking about researching its origins and—Toboe!"

Kiba's words fell short, however, as he caught sight of the younger man's form swaying dangerously beside him before giving away altogether. Catching him as he hit the wet pavement, Kiba tried to set him upright.

"Toboe! Can you hear me? Toboe!"

The two lone umbrellas lied forgotten as the storm raged on and drowned everything else.

* * *

TBC 

Thanks to the two people who reviewed! Apologies for the delay too. I am a ridiculously slow writer.

And there _is _a plot. It's just going to take a while to get there. xD

Evil cliffhanger. Haha.


	3. Beta

_I see a pattern here with this story. Posted the first chapter in 2005. Second in 2006. Third in 2007. I do hope to remedy this disturbing trend. Thank you all for sticking around. _

* * *

**Catch-22**

**III**

* * *

Someone was with him. 

That was the first thought that entered Toboe's sleep-filled mind as he opened his eyes. Then he took in several deep breaths, wondering for a while why it felt so hard to breathe. He glanced upwards at the ceiling and stared at it before suddenly frowning. _Where am I?_ The golden-eyed man blinked several times, trying to understand his situation. He last remembered rain—rain and him deciding to go out for a walk. Toboe smiled a little ruefully at his reckless action. _Look where it got me. _

"Do you always smile to yourself?"

Toboe would have jumped had he not been lying down. As it was, his head jerked suddenly to the side as he finally spotted the other person he had sensed in the room. Kiba's even stare bore down on him and warmth filled Toboe's face.

"K-Kiba! So you…"

The older man nodded slightly and stuck a thermometer into Toboe's open mouth unceremoniously. "You fainted on me yesterday. My place was closest so I brought you here," he explained in his usual direct tone.

"Uh…"

"Don't talk. I need to take your temperature."

It struck Toboe as odd to see the distant and quiet man so…human. And then his thoughts stopped. That was right. He had only met Kiba two days ago. To be quite frank, Toboe should have been experiencing more concern for his own safety in the hands of this stranger. But for some reason he was not afraid. He was not even nervous—except for the times Kiba would catch him off guard. He was just inexplicably at ease with the older man. And that disconcerted him more than anything else.

"Sorry to crash on you like this," he said quietly as Kiba pulled out the thermometer.

Kiba shrugged and then placed a tray of food on the bureau beside the bed. "Eat. Your fever hasn't gone down completely and you need your energy," he directed softly.

Toboe took the steaming bowl of soup humbly and was surprised by how quickly it revived him as he took small spoonfuls. Kiba watched him all the while, unmoving and impassive, and that was perhaps the reason why Toboe finished up his meal so quickly. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and handed the empty bowl back to Kiba speedily.

"Thank you."

In trying to recall a time he felt more vulnerable, Toboe's mind drew up a blank. He smiled sheepishly at Kiba as he took away his bowl and left the room temporarily. But it was very strange indeed. He was never one to be so careless about his health. Yesterday's events seemed like a blur in his head; Toboe must have really been delirious. He remembered the conversation with Kiba but he could not remember _what_ they were talking about. Images of lunar flowers kept flashing through his mind. Toboe shook his head.

"Flowers…"

"What about them?"

This time Toboe really did jump. Kiba smiled slightly. "Sorry," he said.

"You have a knack for scaring people."

A small smile was offered in response. "My sister says the same thing," replied Kiba.

"Oh, so you have family?" blurted Toboe. He paused as he realized the rudeness of his query. "I mean…you just don't seem like the type…"

"She's the only one I'm close to. My father is still recovering from my sudden career change and we haven't spoken to each other in a few months," Kiba said calmly.

Toboe's interest was piqued. "Career change?"

"I'm in botanical studies. But I was in medicine before. Father was quite devastated."

Toboe could not help but laugh. Despite the graveness in which Kiba spoke there was an undeniable sense of wryness in his entire delivery that amused Toboe greatly. After a few moments he quieted down his chuckles in respect of his host. "I'm sorry but… Really, your father shouldn't be so cold to you. There're a lot of fields connected to botany. And it's certainly much less stressful than becoming a doctor."

"That's what I said. But parents are difficult in that way."

"Why did you switch anyway?"

Kiba did not say anything for a while, pondering the answer. "I guess you could say it was in my dreams," he finally said.

"What?" Toboe stared at the older man in confusion. It was just as he expected. Kiba was the most complicated person he ever met—and the fact that the man did not even try to be clear made him all the more difficult to understand. But all this talk about botanicals suddenly made him remember what he and Kiba had been discussing prior to his…collapse. Flowers. Or more specifically…

"The lunar flower."

Now it was Kiba's turn to stare at Toboe strangely. The younger man smiled sheepishly. "I just remembered. You and I were talking about lunar flowers yesterday. You were really interested by them. So…is that why you decided to go into botanicals?"

Toboe's words hit Kiba sharply. He never would have thought the younger man to be so astute with his easygoing, naïve nature. But Toboe had hit the mark almost dead-on. The only thing he was missing was the reason why the lunar flowers had attracted him in the first place. But Kiba did not intend to tell him that—his sister's reaction had been bad enough. And he did not want the young man to think of him as some kind of nutcase—which even Kiba sometimes accused himself of being.

"Partly," Kiba said. Then he decided to add something more. If only to clear some of the doubt in Toboe's eyes. "It's also got something to do with history—mythical history at least."

Toboe's amber eyes glittered brightly as he grinned. "Kiba…you're so mysterious."

The sincerity and understanding in his tone surprised the older man. Kiba was often loath to reveal much of his intentions and thoughts for fear of people rejecting him. He had learned early in his life that keeping silent was the best solution. Even if he did intimidate some people with his reticence, at least he did not garner unwelcome attention and scorn. For Toboe to be so unconditionally open to his lacking answers was a genuine surprise for him. That he did not ask any more questions and simply accepted was something that relieved and warmed Kiba.

"I don't mean to be. But sometimes it's better."

"That's true I suppose. But you shouldn't keep everything to yourself. It might help to confide in someone you trust," was Toboe's sage advice.

Kiba's eyes flashed. "I don't trust many people."

Toboe laughed. "Well, then I guess that has to change."

Sensing that a distraction was needed, Kiba diverted the topic elsewhere. "What are we going to do about Tsume?" he asked, more to himself than anything else.

"Oh, he's in trouble, right?"

Kiba frowned slightly. "He wishes to be left alone—even though he knows it'll only result in something disastrous. Streets are no place for one man."

Toboe cocked his head to the side. "Why do you worry? I mean…we only just met. Despite the rather…_odd_ way we sort of fell into each other's lives, we're still complete strangers," he pointed out, not without a hint of curiosity.

The dark-haired man jerked suddenly, turning to look at the bedridden man bewilderedly. "I…" Kiba paused. "I don't know. Just something in me…tells me I should help him because he can't do it alone."

"Nice answer." Toboe grinned at the startled look on Kiba's face. He shrugged. "I feel the same way. Strange, isn't it? We've only know each other for what, two days? But for some reason I'm more at ease with you guys than I am with people I've known all my life." Toboe laughed a little, shaking his head. "Does that make any sense?"

"No. But it's certainly a better explanation than the one I've been harboring."

Toboe smiled. He then looked at his watch. "Wow, I really was knocked out for a while. I hope Sensei didn't have a fit when I didn't show up today," he murmured idly. He shifted his gaze back to Kiba. "I think I should get going. I'm feeling better now. Talking can really heal a person."

The younger man laughed at his own joke. Kiba cracked a small grin, more amused by Toboe's behavior than anything else. _Truly a weird kid…but I guess it's not a bad thing. _"You should take it easy for a while," he advised even as he watched Toboe crawl out of his bed. The man faltered for a bit before regaining his balance. "I could walk you back…"

"No, no, please don't. I've intruded on your privacy enough!" protested Toboe immediately. He looked around the room. "Um…where's my coat?"

Kiba pointed to the hallway outside. "Follow me," he commanded simply.

Toboe walked after Kiba hesitantly. Though he felt comfortable with the older man, he also could not deny the fact that Kiba was an intimidating figure. It was not so much his appearance as it was his demeanor. The dark-haired man was soft-spoken and distant, but there was also a very intense aura about him. It was a sharp contrast that caught Toboe's interest right from the start. Kiba was hot and cold simultaneously, but from what Toboe had observed, it seemed the cold dominated most of the time. But when he had started talking about the lunar flowers, Toboe saw that fiery intensity shine through. It was overwhelming, but also reassuring—it proved to him that Kiba was indeed human.

"Cool place," commented Toboe as his eyes roamed the airy apartment.

Compared to Kiba's room, which had been a jumble of books and papers stacked on the floor and desk, the rest of his home was virtually clean and Spartan. The only furniture he had was a table for the kitchen and a single long sofa in the living room. There was a television and stereo set, but both were completely ignored—as evidenced by their matching linings of dust.

"I don't use these rooms very often," Kiba said, a little sheepishly. He had only just realized himself how completely barren his home was. Generally, the only guests he ever entertained had been limited to Sora—and she never complained much about anything.

Toboe chuckled. "Don't worry about. It's still nice. I see your room is really where you live," he said amusingly.

Kiba reached into the closet by the door and pulled out the younger man's jacket and umbrella. "It stopped raining a while ago," he said.

"Thanks." Toboe pulled on his coat and took the red umbrella from Kiba's hand. "I guess I'll be going now. You'll call me if you find Tsume? If he needs a place to stay I certainly have the room. And I wouldn't mind the company either."

The dark-haired man hid his smile. "I will. I have a good idea of where he is. He'll listen to me one way or another," he said.

Toboe raised an eyebrow at that. "Somehow, I know you meant that as a joke, and yet I can't help but be surprised by how you said it."

Kiba narrowed his eyes. "I'm not sure what you're trying to say, Toboe."

The younger man felt a chill run up his spine as he heard his name slip from Kiba's lips. "Um, nothing. Never mind," he said quickly, rushing for the door to only find it locked. Toboe played with the latches for several seconds with some humiliation before Kiba finally reached over and unlocked the door for him.

"Steady," the older man said quietly.

Toboe bit his lip, nodding. _Where did that come from? Just by saying my name? Or is it something else…? _He fought down the blush from blooming across his face as he cast a sidelong look at Kiba. "Thanks for everything. I'll…talk to you later then?"

Kiba's eyes bore back at him coolly. "Yeah. I'll get back to you on Tsume."

The golden-eyed man nodded and then hurried out the door, pulling it closed with a quiet click. He walked down the hallway and called for the elevator, sighing. Things were getting more and more bizarre lately. He had no idea whether this was a good thing or not. Toboe watched dazedly as the elevator arrived with a light _ping_ and climbed in slowly, directing it to the main lobby.

When he walked out of the building he was greeted by the bright nightlife of Tokyo. He tilted his head back to stare into the inky blue sky, splattered with glittering dust.

"Rakuen?"

* * *

Someone was watching him. 

Tsume felt a prickling down the spine of his back and cursed inwardly to himself. He had been hoping to do some strategic thinking today. His gang was gone. His turf was no longer safe. And Tsume had nowhere else to go. What, then, could a guy like him do? Fortunately, living off the streets had turned Tsume into a pretty resourceful guy—if only there was no one else to interrupt his planning. With barely restrained agitation, Tsume whipped around to face the intruder.

"It's you."

Toboe smiled cheerfully. "Hi. How are you?"

The silver-haired man did not look pleased. Tsume all but growled at Toboe when he approached him, but that did nothing to deter the younger man. Tsume scowled to himself. How in the world did Toboe find him anyway? He leaned against the battered windowsill crossly.

"What do you want?" he barked.

"Nice place…but doesn't it get cold with all the holes?"

Tsume's eyes flashed dangerously. "Look, punk, I don't need you criticizing me about how I live—"

"I'm just concerned for your health is all," interrupted Toboe. He looked at Tsume kindly. "Winter's approaching. Do you really think you can survive it in this—pardon my expression—dump?"

Tsume grabbed Toboe by the shoulders painfully, furious. "Who the _hell _do you think you are? You can't just come here and lecture me. We're not friends. You don't owe me anything!" he yelled.

Toboe watched the taller man patiently, not at all disturbed by the evident rage in his eyes. "I want to help," he said simply.

"He put you up to this didn't he? Fucking bastard…"

And then suddenly, Tsume released him. The silver-haired man walked back to the window, folding his arms with a deep sigh. "Why are you here?" he asked after a moment's pause. His tone was calmer now—a sudden contrast to his anger only seconds earlier.

Toboe blinked innocently. "We're not friends, but we're acquaintances at least. I know you may not trust me but _I _trust _you_. And I want to help. It's only a place to stay. I have plenty of room. You'll just have to watch out for my dogs. They can be a little protective. But they know you already so it should be all right," he said.

Tsume looked at him in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Of course. Why would I be joking about this?"

"Because you're a goddamn idiot?"

Toboe laughed. "That's kind of mean."

"I have nothing to offer."

The meek tone in Tsume's words made Toboe pause. He watched the older man stare at the wall behind him—impassively—but Toboe could _feel_ the tension and humiliation in him. Tsume was a proud man. He did not want other people's help, especially if he had nothing to give in return. In his world, it was give and take. The two always came together. Toboe smiled winningly and placed a hand on his shoulder, startling the man.

"Hey, come on. You don't need to offer me anything. I'm askingyou to stay. I don't want anything else of you," he said reassuringly.

Tsume stared hard at the younger man for a while, as if gauging him for any deceitfulness. After a few moments, he finally relented. Sighing, he looked down at the floor. "Thanks," he muttered.

Toboe understood it took a lot for the man to say the word and nodded. "You're welcome. Now come on!" he replied, guiding Tsume away by the arm. He had a feeling the older man was not a touchy-feely kind of person, but Toboe disregarded the notion anyway. He felt oddly at ease with the other man—like he knew he could be more teasing and playful without Tsume snapping back too meanly at him. He did not know why or how he knew this—he just did. So Toboe went along with his instincts.

"Fucking let go of me, kid!"

Almost laughing at the surprise in Tsume's tone, Toboe looked back at him and released him. "You need to loosen up a little, Tsume. Not everyone in this world has an ulterior motive," he said.

"You wouldn't be so optimistic if you lived my life," replied Tsume.

Toboe considered this for a moment. "Maybe."

Tsume's eyes flashed. "How can you trust me? How can you trust _him_? We don't even know each other. We came together by chance—nothing more."

"But that's where I think you're wrong," spoke Toboe quickly. He paused and looked at Tsume determinedly. "I don't think it was chance that brought us together. I mean… I don't know. I would normally never think much of it except…except I feel like I _know _you guys. When I'm around you, I'm more comfortable than I've ever been around even my own family. I can't explain it but I know it's there—that feeling of…belonging."

For a long time neither of them spoke. Tsume stared at Toboe sharply once he finished. He had no idea what the kid was saying—did not want to even think about it. Tsume had never belonged anywhere in his life. Hell if he was going to start believing in the wishful thoughts of some go-happy _child_. Then he stopped. Child. He looked over Toboe. The young man was certainly not a child despite his idealistic outlook on life. Yet Tsume kept picturing him as a child in his mind—someone who had not yet come to terms with the world and its cruelty. Why? Tsume shook his head.

"Screw the sentimental bullshit. Let's just get out of here," he sighed, his mind tired and his patience thinning.

Toboe nodded. "We're going to have to take the train."

"Kiba told you where I was."

"Yes."

"He visited me a few days ago. Told me to go to you. I told him to fuck off. I didn't think he'd tell you to come to me."

Toboe smiled. "Kiba's a persistent guy."

"Too persistent," muttered Tsume. He looked at Toboe. "Who does he think he is? Our leader? And who do you think you are? Our caretaker? How about that other guy? Hige? Have you included him in your philanthropic escapades too?"

"No. Hige's a bit of a mystery. I don't know whether he's lost or just purposely making himself lost."

Tsume gave a bitter laugh. "Well, that's brilliant. He struck me as nothing more but a cocky bastard. Psychoanalysis my ass."

Toboe hid his amusement. They walked in companionable silence until they reach the train station. There, Toboe paid for both their tickets—much to Tsume's dismay—and they boarded without too much dispute. Toboe wondered what kind of life Tsume led that he was so unwilling to allow other people give him favors—or even treat him kindly without expecting something in return.

The ride passed by wordlessly. Tsume stared out the window most of the time, his expression masked. When they reached their stop, Toboe led them out of the station and back to his apartment. The entire journey took perhaps ten minutes. But Toboe had never felt time pass by so slowly in his life. By the time they reached his home, the tension was so thick Toboe almost drowned in it. He greeted Opal and Ebony enthusiastically when he opened the door to his apartment, welcoming their warm feelings.

Kiba was cool, but Tsume was ice. There were glimpses to a softer side—a more human side—but he had buried himself under so many layers it was difficult to perceive anything else but his sarcasm and coldness. And like Kiba, there was a passion in Tsume. Unlike Kiba, however, Tsume was well aware of its presence within him. He _knew _when he was being uncontrollable and he did not care. At the same time Tsume could hide his emotions so well, you never knew what hit you once he released it. Toboe told himself he had nothing to fear from the older man, but he really had no idea what Tsume was capable of when pushed to his limits. From what he had observed so far, Tsume was most accustomed to expressing his emotions physically rather than verbally—which meant they had a long way to go before reaching a middle ground.

"That Kiba… What does he think he's doing… Trying to get us together for some other wild journey or something?"

"What?" asked Toboe in surprise.

Tsume froze. "What the hell am I saying?" he said to himself, frowning deeply. He looked at Toboe. "Seems like strange things have been happening ever since I met you guys. I don't even know why… Never mind."

"You too?"

At this, Tsume started. Toboe stared earnestly at him. "Have you had any dreams? You know…of a lunar flower and a girl?"

Tsume kept his face neutral. "Not of a white flower or a girl—of a mysterious forest. A cursed forest. It was a graveyard not meant for anything living. Yet I was there. Others were with me too. I don't remember how they looked."

Toboe listened raptly. "Do you think they mean something?"

"I don't know," replied Tsume, closing his eyes. He sat down on the couch, propping his feet on the table. "I don't care."

"Do you really?"

Cutting amber greeted Toboe. "Don't."

Toboe resigned himself over to Tsume's temper. He wanted to talk more about the dreams. He wanted to better understand them. He knew there was something amiss about his meeting the others. Toboe _knew _there was more to everything that was happening now between the four of them—four different strangers with nothing in common except perhaps these visions. But Toboe had not spoken to Hige since their initial meeting. He wondered if the other man was also victim to these phantom images. Kiba spoke nothing of himself—but Toboe had naturally assumed from the man's interest in the lunar flower that he too had experienced some kind of vision. Why were they all so connected like this?

"Storm's coming."

Tsume had walked up to the balcony, staring at the clear sky. Toboe looked at him in confusion. "It looks like a nice day to me."

The silver-haired man continued watching the skyline. "I can feel it in the pressure. A storm is on its way."

"Bad?"

Tsume grinned slowly—a sinister expression. "The worst."

* * *

Someone was talking to him. 

Blinking out of his stupor, Hige tuned in long enough to catch a comment.

"Damn, we've been having some bad weather lately."

Hige looked out the window as lightning cast Tokyo in a blinding flash. He hummed in agreement and then turned back to his work. He and his classmate were working on a project together. Well, "together" in their case meant splitting up the material in half and working individually. Hige preferred it this way. They were both studious—he knew he did not have to worry about his partner slacking off. And when Hige really got into his work, he tended to ignore everything else around him. They had been at it for three hours now. The library had become empty. Many of the patrons had left earlier to escape the deluge outside. Hige had not even noticed it until his partner pointed it out.

"We should head home, Hige. We can meet up again tomorrow."

When Hige got into his working rhythm, he usually stayed in it until everything was done. His portion of the work was only about halfway complete—he would not be satisfied leaving it now. So Hige put on an easygoing smile. "Nah, you can head back, Jo. I think I'll stay a bit longer," he said reassuringly.

Jo raised his eyebrow at him. "You sure, Hige? I don't think this storm is going to let up any time soon. Do you even have an umbrella?"

"The station's only a block from here—I can run it."

Chuckling, Jo stood up and gathered his books. "If you say so. Call me when you get home."

"Ah, you worrywart. I'll be fine," teased Hige.

"Hmph. Sure. Brush off a friend's concern," sniffed Jo. He slipped on his coat and then began walking out of the study room, waving. "Smell you later, loser."

"Right back at you, _stupid_."

They always had that kind of relationship, Hige and Jo. Both had known each other since their freshman year and after a whole semester of casual nods—due to the fact that they shared three classes together—Hige finally broke the ice one day by turning around in his seat after class, sticking out his hand, and introducing himself formally. And that had been the beginning of their friendship.

Jo was one of the few exceptions in Hige's life when it came to dealing with people. Generally, Hige preferred being alone. He found people interesting, but he also found them a little too troublesome to deal with most of the time. Hige was a good-natured guy. He had a friendly smile and a wicked sense of humor when he chose to wield them. Otherwise, he was obscenely indifferent when it came to human interaction. If the individual was not worth his time, he would treat them kindly and nod along in cheerful pretense. There were very few sincere people left in the world. Hige was rationally cold because he did not want to waste his time sifting through these hypocritical individuals to reach the worthy ones. Those who appreciated his sarcasm and did not stare at him in open shock at his sometimes morbid sense of humor were the ones he befriended—the ones who accepted his happy grin and harsh judgment.

He would make one hell of a psychiatrist one day.

Hige snickered to himself. He looked up, however, when a shadow covered his papers. Who he saw made him grin slowly. "Kiba, right?" he asked casually.

The dark-haired man was holding a small collection of books in his hand. "Hige," he greeted back. "Work?"

"Nah, this is a project. _Muy importante_, man. Yourself?"

"Same."

Hige nodded, eyeing Kiba over. Here was a man who befuddled him completely. That memorable accident from two weeks back came to his mind. Hige had been too preoccupied with teasing Tsume and chatting with Toboe to pay much attention to Kiba—something which he regretted a little afterwards. But, Hige thought with a smile, it seemed fate had decided to throw them together again. And Hige was not going to miss this chance. From what he recalled of their first dinner, Kiba had been mostly silent, talking only a little to Toboe. Hige pondered over this for a while.

"So…have you spoken to Toboe and Tsume?"

Strange acquaintances they were, Hige knew that much. At the same time, he had never met a bunch of more interesting fellows than these three.

Kiba blinked. "Yeah. Tsume's staying with Toboe now."

"Whoa, rewind. How the hell did that happen?"

Now that had taken Hige in for a loop. These guys must have been more in contact with each other than he originally assumed. Weird, since he figured Kiba and Tsume would try to avoid companionship as much as possible. Perhaps it was Toboe's doing? The younger man was a sweet soul—Hige never thought he would have the gall to confront Tsume.

Kiba gave a nonchalant shrug. "He needed a place to stay. His gang was rounded up by the cops. Toboe said he could stay over at his place. I tried convincing Tsume but eventually it was Toboe who won him over," he said.

Hige smiled in wonder. "Well, I'll be… All this happening and you didn't even bother telling ol' Hige?"

"I didn't see a particular reason to."

Bluntness could sting. Hige had not encountered someone like Kiba in a while. The man's standoffish demeanor was not deliberate, but it was a fact that he was painfully honest a little too often—and that would also keep people away. However, Kiba did not seem to mind his isolation—seemed to prefer it actually. Interesting. Hige thought he was independent, but this Kiba had totally outrun him for his money.

"So you boys getting along all right?"

"Well enough. I don't think Tsume likes me very much, though."

Hige laughed. "Don't you remember the dinner? I think that guy probably _hates _me," he said.

"We're doing dinner again tonight. Do you want to come?"

That was a sudden change in topic. Hige blinked at its randomness. "Umm…sure. Got nothing else planned anyway," he agreed, smiling. "Toboe's place?"

Kiba nodded.

"Don't talk much do you?"

At this Kiba started. He looked at Hige in question. The latter laughed. "Well, you're all Mr. Tall-And-Silent. I mean, it's not a bad thing of course. But in conversations it's usually a two-way street. Even I'm not good enough to talk for two people—nor do I care for doing so."

"What is there to talk about?"

"Well, how about this funky weather, man? I mean, honestly, do we usually get this much rain during the season? I thought it was called April showers—not November showers."

"You can't predict Nature," replied Kiba calmly.

Hige shook his head. "I guess not," he said, looking at the books in Kiba's hand. "So what class are those for?"

"Environmental studies."

"Major?"

"Botanical studies."

"Nature boy—that makes sense. You have that whole wild, untamed look to you."

Kiba frowned a little. "I do?"

"No, I only said that to get a reaction from you. Although now that I think about it…you do have a wild look about you."

"Is this your idea of conversation?"

Hige laughed heartily. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to offend you or anything! But dude, you seriously gotta lighten up. What do you like? Favorite music? Food? Game? Movie?"

"I'm not a movie person. I don't really listen to music. As for food, I don't care what it is as long as it won't make me sick."

"Jesus. I'm gonna have to do some work with you, man. I can tolerate the no movie and music aspect, but _food_… Food is… God, you have to be pickier with your food, dude. There is such thing as good and bad cuisine. Your words were just an insult to all food connoisseurs around the world, Kiba!"

Kiba stared at him with some amusement in his eyes. "Sorry."

"All right, Toboe's cooking is top notch—even I can't disagree with that. Tonight, _savor_ it. Remember the taste of his cooking and then we'll go to some other place next time and compare. Got that, Kiba? _Remember the taste_."

"I'll remember the taste, Hige," replied Kiba, smiling.

Hige sighed. "You really are a piece of work."

The rest of that afternoon fell into companionable silence as they both proceeded with continuing their work. Once they were done, Kiba deemed it time to head for Toboe's place. Hige followed him out the library—the storm raging on. When Kiba opened up a bright umbrella with tropical patterns, Hige did not say anything. But Kiba later criticized him for being unable to hide his smirk. As they walked to Toboe's apartment under the colorful umbrella, Hige felt happy. As little as he knew about these strangers, he _felt_ like they were long lost friends. And when Toboe opened his door and greeted them warmly, Hige damn near forgot he had only talked with him once before, and hugged the younger man cheerfully before engaging in bright chatter. When he spotted Tsume glaring at him darkly from the corner of the room, Hige waved. The silver-haired man rolled his eyes and Hige laughed.

* * *

TBC 


End file.
